Insufficient balance

  The most heartless words are not curses or complaints, but "official language", using all sorts of grandiose moralistic phrases. Every word Ba Cheng says is polite and proper, but Dong Shi's heart has been chilled to the bone by this cold rain that soaks through her clothes and clings to her skin. She stands in the rain, water droplets rolling down her face, shivering uncontrollably. Since she took the first step and escaped from home, the road back has become very distant...

  It turned out that San Niang, who was always cold and icy, seemed to have understood Dong Shi's feelings. After thinking for a moment, she said: "If you don't mind about the household registration, why not register under the Xue family name? Are you willing?"

  Compared to Bao Cheng's various grand righteousness, this simple sentence gave Dong Shi's lifeless face some vitality. San Niang didn't make any sense, and in fact, what she did couldn't be justified - could she actually let a married woman become a lowly servant?

  But the woman was not talking about morality and justice, Dong Shi nodded without hesitation: "Will."

  Two women sang and harmonized, and before two sentences were exchanged, the matter was settled. Bao Cheng couldn't help but stare in amazement. He stood by silently for a moment, thinking to himself that he didn't need to intervene... But he suddenly thought of Dong Shi's "bad luck", what if Xue Lang found out later and had misconceptions about him?

  Unlike others in the officialdom or military, most people in the officialdom have their own intricate relationships. Bao Cheng is a newcomer and can only enter the power circle because of Xue Lang's appreciation for him today. Xue Chongxun is the key to his life opportunities, and he cannot afford to make any mistakes.

  "Third Sister, I have something that must be clarified first... let's get straight to the point and avoid confusion later..." Bao Cheng said hesitantly, his face flushing bright red despite being a tall and sturdy man of nine feet.

  The third daughter turned her head and looked at him with some confusion: "What?"

  Dong had already vaguely guessed what he was going to say, she stared blankly at him... a familiar stranger, her face turned pale, her teeth chattered "clattering" sound, don't know if it's the chill after getting wet or heart chill.

  Bao Cheng clenched his fists and finally raised his head to say calmly, "Die'er... was not welcomed in her hometown because she was unlucky..." When he said the word "White Tiger", his voice had become so soft that it was almost inaudible. "You are someone by Lord Xue's side, just tell him about it. I, Bao, treat people with sincerity and cannot secretly harm those who have helped me."

  The third daughter was stunned for a moment, looked at him with a complicated gaze, and said coldly: "Alright, I will certainly report the truth to Lang Jun."

  Just then, a sudden "crack" sound was heard, and several people were slightly startled. They turned their heads to look, and it was a tile on the eaves of the house next door that had been washed down by the rain and shattered on the ground.

  Dong's voice was somewhat hoarse: "Listen! What is that sound of something breaking?"

  Bao Cheng also felt a little guilty, and said in a low tone: "Die'er, don't blame me, Xue Lang is willing to help you, you can't deceive him, people rely on sincerity."

  Dong's face was covered in water, shaking her head as she backed away: "You don't need to say anything, everything is my own doing, I overthought it... You didn't do anything wrong, it's all my fault..." Her fingers curled together, just like they had during the day. Her legs went soft and as she retreated, she accidentally kicked a rock and fell heavily to the ground, her hands instinctively reaching out to break her fall, one of them scraping against the hard stone pavement and tearing the skin, blood mixing with the rainwater.

  Bao Cheng immediately went to help her up, but she suddenly shouted: "Don't touch me!" Bao Cheng was startled by the sudden loud cry. Dong Shi's voice became calmer and colder as she said: "Men and women should not be intimate with each other, keep a distance from me!"

  The third daughter walked forward, helped Dong Shi up, and said lightly: "Since you're willing, let's go." After that, she turned around and bowed her fist to bid farewell.

  Bao Cheng saw the two women being somewhat intimate and felt a bit uneasy, so he whispered: "I..."

  Third Lady coldly smiled: "Bao Zhuang Shi, there's no need to say more. I only manage some private matters, Lang Jun's official business is none of my concern. Lang Jun has instructed that tomorrow you should go to the Ministry of Revenue for a meeting at dawn, if you agree then you must come."

  The two guards beside him also bid farewell to Bao Cheng, and then San Niang took Dong Shi back.

  After returning to the tent, San Niang first instructed a slave to prepare hot water and clothes, then said to Dong Shi: "You go with me to see Lang Jun first, this matter must be agreed by him before it can proceed, later you can take a bath and change your clothes."

  The house was very wide and deep, with no idea how many rooms it had. The corridors and eaves were magnificent and majestic, even the windows in the most inconspicuous places had hollowed-out flower patterns. Such a mansion was more exquisite than the wealthy owner's luxurious mansion, which Dong Shi had never seen before. She felt an instinctive fear of the unfamiliar environment, so nervous that she couldn't speak.

  Originally, when she saw Xue Chongxun wearing a hemp garment during the day, she didn't think this person was particularly intimidating. However, after arriving at his residence, Dong Shi felt that Xue Chongxun was like a celestial being, fundamentally different from ordinary people.

  A person's status is indeed reflected in many external objects.

  She followed behind San Niang, walking along the corridor for a while, and came to a door. Then she followed San Niang inside again. She lowered her head, not daring to look around, only seeing the spotless wooden floor, which was instantly stained by the water marks on her clothes.

  Dazed and confused, she turned around a screen, the room was hung with silk curtains, extremely luxurious. For a while, Dong Shi couldn't see what was around her and didn't dare to look up at the people inside.

  San Niang said: "Lang Jun, I brought her back, but Bao Cheng was there at the time..."

  A man with a slightly low and deep voice said: "How did you get so wet? Go change your clothes first, don't catch a cold, we'll talk later."

  Dong said only one sentence and followed San Niang out. She didn't think about etiquette at all, nor did she know what to do.

  San Niang took her out and handed her over to another woman, gave a few orders, and was about to leave. Dong Shi felt a little panicked: "San Niang, how can I find you?"

  The woman smiled and said: "Sister has just arrived, afraid of being unfamiliar. Don't worry, there are only a few people in this inner courtyard, everyone will be familiar with each other in no time."

  San Niang also faintly "en" a sound, then turned and left. She returned to Xue Chongxun's room again, just wanting to talk about Bao Cheng's affairs, but unexpectedly Xue Chongxun started his old habit again, walking back and forth on the floor, not caring about San Niang, starting to say some nonsense words.

  Xue Chongxun sighed: "This person can't be acting all the time, no matter how he pretends, he will eventually reveal his true nature."

  San Niang stood silently, not disturbing his "elegance", and didn't bother to care about his ravings, just listened quietly. Sometimes San Niang felt that Xue Chongxun wasn't trying to make others understand, but just wanted to find a living person to talk nonsense to.

  After waiting for him to be alone in there, he sat down on the chair and took a look at San Niang: "Yesterday I saw several alternative warehouse management officials, and I was thinking about this matter... The one who just came out with wet hair is Bao Cheng's wife?"

  San Niang said: "He is Bao Cheng's fellow countryman, and he ran out of his home."

  "Oh." Xue Chongxun suddenly smiled and said, "I just saw that Chu's pitiful appearance, how did the scar on her face disappear?"

  "It's all right, don't rub your hands," said San Niang.

  Xue Chongxun said: "What I just said makes sense, right? This person can't keep pretending forever."

  The third daughter said: "Don't be offended, sir, but I'm a bit tired of others lecturing me."

  "Oh? Hehe......" Xue Chongxun chuckled awkwardly, not getting angry, and continued, "You just said that Bao Cheng also found her, why didn't you let Bao Cheng bring her back?"

  Third Daughter hesitated for a moment and said coldly: "Lang Jun, I think Bao Cheng is not very reliable. Are you planning to use him as the commander of the boatman recruits?"

  "What's unreliable about it?" Xue Chongxun said with a gloomy face, "He has no other way out, he can only rely on me; and he indeed has the ability. With these two points, it's enough. San Niang, in this world, there are no eternal friends, maybe one day you will also turn against me."

  The third daughter's face showed a painful expression, she opened her mouth but didn't say anything. After a long while, she asked somewhat mysteriously: "Will Lang Jun abandon me because of some predestined fate? For example... someone said I was inauspicious on a certain day."

  "Fate?" Xue Chongxun said in surprise, "I don't believe in fate, fate should be controlled by oneself!"

  "Is this really true?"

  Xue Chongxun said without hesitation: "Really? Do you believe it?"

  San Niang rarely showed a smile: "Believe it, as long as Lang Jun doesn't curse and swear, I'll believe."

  Xue Chongxun slapped the table and couldn't help but say with a smile: "I know what you're laughing at, yesterday we met an official named Yang, who kept saying he wasn't born to his parents... how did he put it? Ah yes: 'If I utter half a false word, then I'm not born to my parents.'" He felt better as he recalled the amusing incident and even imitated the man's tone.

  "Yang Gong's words are indeed unreliable, he always says that sentence, must be because he lies too much in daily life, always makes people suspicious, so can only curse and swear, after a long time it becomes a habitual phrase." Xue Chongxun smiled and said, "This person is quite interesting."

  The three girls had a sly smile at the corner of their mouths, "Young master didn't want to find a good family's daughter last time? The little girl just now was sent over to serve in bed, does young master still like her?"

  Xue Chongxun glared and said: "How is it that I'm the one who's looking, when clearly it was the Governor of Yuzhou, Lü Shi, who took matters into his own hands."

  Third Daughter coldly said: "That night I clearly heard it, wasn't Young Master saying that 'wild flavor' is better than official courtesans? Why would the official do such a thing? Just now that little girl surnamed Dong, the villagers thought she was unlucky, so she ran out... Bao Cheng also thought she was unlucky and wanted to send her back... Isn't Young Master superstitious? I brought her back, if Young Master doesn't like it, just have someone send her back home."

  Xue Chongxun's mind recalled the young woman he had seen earlier, whose appearance was not bad, and compared to the goods in the official kiln, it was truly a different flavor... In this long and desolate night, he couldn't help but feel some movement in his heart.